Students from Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls came third overall in the under 21 category. Photo/ Taranaki Puanga Festival
Students from Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls came third overall in the under 21 category. Photo/ Taranaki Puanga Festival
Students from around the maunga performed at the 18th annual Taranaki Puanga Festival.
The festival, taking place earlier this month, is a three-day event celebrating and showcasing Māori culture.
During the festival school and community groups performed in the Kapa Haka competition.
Students from Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls placed first in waiata a Ringa (action song) and kākahu (uniform), second in Waiata Tira (choral) and poi, third in haka and came third overall in the under-21 section.
Kapa Haka leader and sports captain Luciana Haami (17) says she is proud of the awards.
“The group gave up a lot of morning teas and lunchtimes to practise so to receive these placings shows that hard work pays off.”
The highlight of the competition for her was placing first in waiata a Ringa, debuting their school waiata Te Kura Pi’opatanga O W’akaa’urangi, she says.
“The name was crafted for us by Māori ward councillor Clive Tongaawhikau. His wife, Whaea Wharekuka, wrote this song especially for our school. It is a song of welcome, welcoming people to our school, honouring our local iwi, the people who came here on the waka, the leader of the waka, and the ancestors of the land. We debuted it for the first time at the festival and to place first performing that song is pretty special.”
Luciana was awarded second place Kaitataki Wahine, for her leadership in her school’s performance.
“I was very proud to receive the award. There is a lot of mana that comes with receiving an award like that.”
She first started Kapa Haka in year 9 and says she enjoys representing the school.
“Since we are a small school it’s quite special to have a Kapa Haka roopu and to represent our school in competitions like these.”
Stratford Primary School pupils and teachers had fun at the festival. Photo/ Taranaki Puanga Festival
Receiving the awards wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Whaea Shauna, Whaea Wharekuka and Whaea Gentry, she says.
“Whaea Shauna volunteers her time to make our uniform so placing first on our uniform was neat. Whaea Wharekuka teaches the group once a week and wrote the winning waiata, especially for our school, and Whaea Gentry has put in a lot of work to get us to where we are. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”
Also performing at the festival were Stratford Primary School pupils Ellena Quarterman (12) and Mason Herewini (11) who say they enjoyed the experience.
Mason has been involved with kapa haka for seven years.
“It’s something I really like doing. Performing at the Puanga Festival was great because we could show our school values and our kapa haka skills. On the day we performed Taranaki te Maunga Nei our school waiata, Kau Poi, Kotuku poi and the haka Maungu Mangu Taipo.”
Ellena says the two led their group with the help of Faith Katene and Taurus Gerrard (both 12).
“It was so much fun leading with them. We recently represented our kura at Stratford District Council when Clive Tongaawhikau was sworn in as a councillor. Before that we hadn’t performed for a live audience for two years. In terms of the festival, I liked seeing other kura perform.”
St Joseph's School Stratford pupils and teachers at the Taranaki Puanga Festival. Photo/ Taranaki Puanga Festival
St Joseph’s School Stratford pupil Laz Rielly (12) first started Kapa Haka while he attended kindergarten.
“It’s something I’ve always done and I will continue with.”
While Laz led the haka, fellow pupil Georgia Stevens (13) led the poi performance.
“We performed E Minaka Ana, Tuia, Rono and our haka was Tau Ka Tau.”
Toko School pupils enjoyed representing their school at the festival. Photo/ Taranaki Puanga Festival
It was the first time Toko School competed in the festival, with pupils Shaye Crofskey and Addison Wilson (both 10) saying they enjoyed the experience.
At school Shaye helps to teach the younger students waiata and haka.
“I feel privileged to have a role in teaching younger students kapa haka. I think it’s important to learn.”
The pupils performed poi to Hoea, performed waiata Tūtira Mai and E Te Atua and performed the hakas Paki Pakia and Mangu Mangu Taipo.
Eltham School pupils participated in the kapa haka competition. Photo/ Taranaki Puanga Festival
Eltham School also performed Mangu Mangu Taipo, Hoea and Paki Pakia.
